LIDER Fellows

Meet the 2026 LIDER Fellows

The 2026 LIDER cohort brought together a distinguished group of engineering academic leaders from Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic. Through four days of leadership development, collaboration, and knowledge exchange at Purdue Engineering, these fellows strengthened professional connections and explored strategies to advance research, education, and administration at their home institutions. Explore the profiles below to learn more about each fellow and their institution.
Eduardo  Alba

Eduardo Alba

Dean of College of Science and Engineering
Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ), Ecuador

M. Lorena  Bejarano

M. Lorena Bejarano

Head of Mechanical Engineering
Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ), Ecuador

Pedro Pablo  Castro Garcia

Pedro Pablo Castro Garcia

Vice President of Academic Affairs
Las Americas Institute of Technology (ITLA), Dominican Republic

Magali  Chait

Magali Chait

Capital Campaign Director
Instituto Tecnologico de Buenos Aires, Argentina

Arturo  Del Villar

Arturo Del Villar

Rector
Instituto Tecnologico de Santo Domingo (INTEC), Dominican Republic

Idi  Isaac-Millan

Idi Isaac-Millan

Dean of Engineering School
Pontificia Bolivariana University, Colombia

Eva Cristina  Manotas Rodríguez

Eva Cristina Manotas Rodríguez

Dean School of Mines
Universidad Nacional de Colombia (UNAL), Colombia

Linda Margarita  Medina Herrera

Linda Margarita Medina Herrera

Dean of the School of Engineering and Sciences, Central-West Region
Instituto Tecnológico de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, México

Nicolás  Merener

Nicolás Merener

Dean of Engineering
Universidad Torcuato Di Tella, Argentina

Julio  Noriega

Julio Noriega

Associate Dean for Strategy at the School of Engineering and Sciences
Tecnologico de Monterrey, México

Valeria  Ochoa-Herrera

Valeria Ochoa-Herrera

Coordinator of Environmental Management Office
Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ), Ecuador

Erika Yuliana  Ortiz Montoya

Erika Yuliana Ortiz Montoya

Director of Master’s and Doctoral Programs in Engineering
Universidad ICESI (Instituto Colombiano de Estudios Superiores de Incolda), Colombia

Mónica  Ospino-Pinedo

Mónica Ospino-Pinedo

Assistant Dean
Universidad De Cartagena, Colombia

Lyda  Peńa Paz

Lyda Peńa Paz

Dean of Engineering and Basic Science School
Universidad Autónoma De Occidente, Colombia

Rómulo  Salazar

Rómulo Salazar

Dean of Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Production Sciences
Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral - ESPOL, Ecuador

Jairo  Useche

Jairo Useche

Director of Research
Technological University of Bolivar, Colombia